Combined blotter-holder and ruler.



WILLIAM MOGRIDGE, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

COMBINED BLOTTER-HOLDER AND RULER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Application filed. February 14, 1908. Serial No. 415,897.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. MOG- RIDGE, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Spokane,'in the county of Spokane and Stateof XVashington, have invented a new and useful Combined Blotter- Holderand Ruler, of which the following is a speciiication.

rThis invention relates to a combined blotter holder and ruler.

The object of the invention is to provide an article combining the abovecharacteristics, which shall be peculiarly adapted for use bybookkeepers, and in which the blotter shall be so assembled with theruler as to permit of its ready removal when desired for the purpose ofsup lying a fresh one, and in which the rule shall) be so disposedrelatively to the blotter that one will not interfere with the other inuse. Furthermore, to provide an article of the above character in whichthe blotter holder shall constitute a hand rest which will enable abook-keeper to keep the sheets of his ledger, or other entry book, freefrom soils and smudges.

A further object of the invention is to adapt the ruler for plottingstraight lines of greater length than the holder, thus to 'eX- tend therange of usefulness of the device.

I/Vith the above and other objects in view,

as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, thesame consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, of acombined blotter holder and ruler, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and inwhich like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure1 is a plan view of one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is an invertedplan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on theline 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an edge view of a portion of the device.Fig. 5 is a plan view, partly in section, of a modified form of theinvention. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a further modified form oftheinvention. Fig. 8 is a pers ective view of the blank from which thedevice shown in Fig. 7 is constructed.

Referring to the drawings, and to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, 1 designatesthe blotter holder, which is, by preference, constructed of a light,transparent and waterproof substance, preferably of celluloid, althoughany other material suited to the purpose may be employed. Disposed alongone edge of the holder is a ruler consisting of two sections 2 and 3,the first-named section being somewhat greater in length than the holderto provide an extension 4, and the last-named section being of a lengthequal to the width of the holder. The section 3 is connected withthesection 2 by a pivot 5, and formed in the section 3 adjacent to thepivot or rivet 5 is a teat 6, formed by stamping or punching inward thestock of the section, and this teat is adapted to interlock with anori'lice 7 in the extension 4 in order to hold the section Sin alinementwith the section 2 for ruling lines of extended length.

The section 2 of the ruler is secured to the holder by a series ofrivets 8 that pass through .the holder, and through a metallic strip 9,

preferably of approximately the same width as the ruler, the heads ofthe rivets being upset, so as to lie flush with the ruler and strip. Thestrip 9 is of greater length than the holder in order that its ends maybe bent at right angles to its length to provide blotter holding clips10, the frictional contact between which and the blotter 1()a will serveto hold the latter in position relatively to the holder. As a furthermeans for holding the blotter in position, one corner of the holderopposite the side carrying the ruler mayv be provided with a clip 11formed by a tongue or extension on the holder, and preferably integraltherewith, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

As will beapparent, owing to the combined thicknesses of the holder,blotter, and binding strip 9, the extension 3 of the ruler, whenstraightened out, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, will have itsfree end held some distance above the sheet of the rule, and, in orderto cause the contact between the extension or section 3 and the sheet tobe rigid in character, the outer terminal of such section isdown-curved, 'as shown at 12. In the use of this form of the invention,the blotters are slipped in between the clips 10 and 11 and the holder,and will be retained thereby in the proper position for use, and forready removal when desired. When the article is used merely as a blotteror hand rest, the sectional ruler will occupy the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 1, and will therefore be out of the Way. As shown,

both sections of the ruler may be suitabl4 graduated, into inches andfractions thereof in the same manner as in an ordinary rule.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the ruler 13 isconstructed vfrom any suitable material that will be light andnon-frangible, preferably of celluloid, and has its forward edge 14projecting outward a sufficient distance to permit the ruling of sheetswithout danger of blurring. The ruler is provided with a longitudinallydisposed groove 15 in which is secured in any suitable manner aCelluloid hand rest 16, and at each end the rule is provided with an arm17, the two arms extending at right angles to its length, andconstituting, in conjunction with the hand rest 16, clips for retainingthe blotters 18 in position.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the ruler 19 isintegral with the blotter holder or hand rest 20, which latter ispreferably made of celluloid and is provided at each end of the rulewith an underturned .tongue 21, the two forming v 'clips for retainingthe blotter in .position rel- I atively to the holder.

One or both corners of the holder opposite the clips 21 may be providedwith similar clips 22 to operate" additionally in clamping the blotteror blotters in place. l 4

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the feature commonto all of the different forms shown is the provision of the blotterlretaining `clips adjacent to the ruler, or at the ends thereof.

The improvements herein defined, while simple in character, will befound thoroughly eiiicient in use for the'purposes designed and willcoact in the production of a highly use- 'ful article to be employed bybookkeepers, or the like.

I claim i 1. An article of the class described comprising a hand rest, ajointed ruler, and blotter clampingelements disposed at the terminals ofone oint of the rule.

2. An article of the class described comprising a hand rest, a jointedruler, and blotter clamping elements disposed at the terminals of onejoint of the rule and at a corner of the rest.

3'.v An article of the class described oomprising a hand rest, a jointedruler carried thereby, and underturned `blotter clamping membersdisposed at the terminals of one joint of the rule and at the corners ofthe rest.

4. An article of the class described comprising a hand rest, a jointedruler carried thereby, and underturned blotter clamping members disposedat the terminal of one joint of .the riiler and at the corners of` therest, means on said ruler to hold the jointsl in rectilinear relation,said means being ar- Y ranged to permit the second joint to be turned atright angles to and lie over said hand rest.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signa- I ture in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. MOGRIDGE,

Witnesses:

THos. MEDROW, R. M.SKIDMORE.

